Child depression treatment can be attacked in two ways one is medication and Two is Counseling and individual child and family therapy. All the research out on child mental health disorders and behavior in relation to depression, anxiety, school, anger etc show that best results and best outcomes for your child are obtained through Counseling and Therapy w an expert that works with children and families regardless if you use medications.
Is your child Depressed, Angry, Defiant, Unmotivated, irritable, does not listen, does not do chores, does not do his or her homework, lies about his or her academics? You are not alone and behavioral issues for children and teens are on the rise in an exponential fashion. The best research approach to creating desired change is a combination of child and teen counseling mixed with parenting skills and or family therapy to created desired change. Below is information on statistics for mental health issues in Arizona and the USA.
Children throughout the United States of America and in Phoenix and Scottsdale Arizona are experiencing a higher rate of neurological disorders and behavioral problems then were reported or diagnosed ten years a ago. The positive news is that children are facing fewer physical disabilities over the past ten years.
The unexpected spike could be attributed to more awareness of mental health disorders, better diagnostics and more availability for mental health care support in the USA.
Experts state that the increase in behavioral health issues and mental health disorders may be attributed to an increase in stress for children and families.
The increase in environmental exposures and poor dietary health habits for children and families in the USA.
Media news is at an all time high and this may impact pregnant women.
Higher rates of autism spectrum disorders, childhood anxiety, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression are some of the disorders that are on the rise.
Children, especially those in more socially advantaged households, may be diagnosed more readily for neurological disorders such as autism or mental health disorders, because of better access to health services and increased parental awareness of such disorders.
But environmental exposures, obesity in pregnancy and the persistent stress of the American lifestyle also help to explain the increase. During his career, Dr. Jones said, he has witnessed notable increases in autism and childhood anxiety, along with an ever-larger prevalence of ADHD and childhood depression.
Video games, media,Tv, You tube, smart phones, movies have exponentially increased: anxiety, fear, and stress. The more exposure to violence and aggression the more likelihood a child will have sleep problems, anxiety issues, academic challenges, depression , and mood disorders. Parents should limit and minimize exposure to violence and fearful media images and parents will see a shift in children’s mood etc.
Over twenty percent of American Children and teenagers have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder in America.ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) was the most widely diagnosed disorder for children under the age of eighteen.
Behavioral disorders and conduct disorders ranked second on the list of disorders among youth in the USA. Next Anxiety disorders and Depression or depressive disorders followed and next was Autistic Disorders.
Depression and alcohol use disorders were high as well as cannabis use disorders. Millions of teenagers in America abuse drugs, alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine.
Children struggle with family issues such as: grief , loss, divorce, moving schools, adoption issues, abuse, mood regulation, self esteem , social skills, healthy choices, problem solving, stress management, ADHD, changing behaviors at home as well as at school bullying, peer pressure, addictions to electronics, poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and more.
It is important to obtain support and the earlier you get counseling and psychotherapy the better chance your child or teenager has of finding balance and success. Family counseling combined with individual counseling and therapy can be extremely effective for change.
The holiday season can trigger feelings of grief, loss and fluctuating emotions. There is a spike in depressive moods for children, and adolescents during X mas, Easter, Thanksgiving,and New Years.
Depression that is left untreated can lead to many unhealthy behaviors including but not limited to: lack of motivation, poor performance, alcohol and drug use, and many other mental health conditions.
Your child may isolate in his room or simply absorb himself in media, video games, tv, computer , and not be involved with the family this is very unhealthy.
Relationships with friends as well as with family and parents are just one piece of a potential issue with your child. Your child’s negative thoughts and self esteem are also very important to address. A child can be a straight A student, have lots of friends and still be depressed and have a very low self concept.
Parents during the holidays will also have time to observe any young adults that are coming home for the holidays. Depression, Bipolar, PTSD, Anxiety, are some of the bigger diagnosis of young adults ages eighteen to twenty five however it many times goes ignored. Many college students or young adults are concerned about a stigma related to seeking counseling support so they do not set up an appointment at school or at home.
In a large college research survey over one third of all college students felt depressed to the point that they had difficulty functioning over the past year and over fifty percent of college aged students stated they felt so much anxiety that it impacted their school performance or impaired them.
Depression that is not addressed or treated can lead to suicide. It will affect class attendance, school performance, social activities, increase your child’s likelihood for drug abuse and alcohol abuse as well as other addictions.
Young adults just like teens experience many stressor from school pressure to, new peers, to achievement, as well as being away from home for the first time or simply transitioning from home.
If a young adult is depressed he or she should seek professional support asap. Parents can encourage their children to maintain better sleep habits daily, minimize media use ( TV, Video Games, Texting< facebook, INstagram, IPOD, smart Phone) to no more than 1.5 hours a day. There are many components that can combine to create a depressed mood: new school, family dynamics, self esteem, performance at school, moving schools or moving cities, bullying, social relationships, stress, past trauma, sleep, anxiety and more. Looking at all areas of a teen or child’s life is vital in treating depression because there likely is more than one component.
Children, teen, depression.
Depression Child Teen Hope w therapy
Depression is a human response to pain in life. It is not a disability unless we stay stuck in it and can not pull ourselves out of the depression and it begins to impact our lives in a negative way. Depression will not sustain itself when one gets on the right path for life and sees the glass half full instead of half empty.
A loss of a dog or cat can cause many to feel a sense of depression. As life circumstances change so too will an individuals mood. While watching ASU Arizona State or any sports event one can cycle from euphoria to a sense of hopelessness and then continue to swing up and down many times during the game.
Depression many times is lifted by: making new friends, a new job, learning a new skill, travel, finding a passion, or through the passing of time.
Research shows that an individual whom is depressed many times is wrestling with guilt, and negative cognitions of blame. The best therapy is having good rapport with your therapist and someone who uses a variety of approaches. Many experts state that psychotherapy is the key to alleviating depression. A caring psychotherapeutic relationship is huge according data and research on depression.
Empathy is vital to heal from depression. Empathy a loving concern for others connects people. Some medications blunt empathy and make people feel indifferent. Research shows neurotransmitters that get invlolved in frontal lobe reactions are impacted and can rob us of self awareness, empathy, and sensitivity.
Love and instillation of hope I healing opportunity possible everyday) is crucial in the triumph over depression in children, teens, and adults.
Below are some symptoms you may observe in a depressed child however it is not limited to these alone:
Below is a list of SOME possible symptoms of child depression it is not inclusive just some things to look out for and to always seek professional advice on this matter.
One very common childhood depression symptom is an irritable mood.Children and adolescent teens who are irritable may be rude, disrespectful, and may refuse to do what you ask. They are less likely to follow the rules at school or at home and frequently talk back to parents and teachers. They are defiant at times as well.
A child who is bored may bother you, follow you around the house and demand that you entertain them. This may be because they are feeling down and blue.
They no longer like to do things they used to think were fun this is a red flag as well.
A child who is experiencing this childhood depression symptom will stop enjoying the activities they were the most interested in.
They may display changes in eating patterns or appetite. A child may eat more or eat less or very little as far as eating habits.
Children who experience this childhood depression symptom may seem particular or complain about their food. They may not want to get up or go to bed. The child may complain about the food when in the past they did not complain.
Children may sleep more or less than normal. Behaviorally this can translate into refusal to go to school or to go to bed. A change in sleep is a huge red flag. Sleep will impact mood in a very negative manner besides school performance and interpersonal communication and social interactions.
Depressed children and teenagers may complain of feeling tired and lack the energy to complete the tasks they need to do at home and school. This childhood depression symptom often causes children to behave in a way that can be misinterpreted as lazy. If parents or teachers describe a child as lazy I am immediately suspicious that the child is depressed. They have thoughts of worthlessness or guilty feelings. Low sense of self esteem is apparent and the child is not feeling good about his or her life at this time.
Children and adolescent teens who are depressed will often make negative self statements. Most parents often miss these statements or may be irritated by them. Younger children won’t attempt to complete tasks or activities because of fear that they are not good enough to do so. Kids with this childhood depression symptom may also blame themselves for things that they have nothing to do with.
Other symptoms include unpleasant behaviors such as tantrums, inability to handle frustration, complaining or crying. At school depressed children may be hostile or aggressive, display a drop in school performance, or may frequently go to the school nurse. Physical symptoms not wanting to go to school, suicidal thoughts, homicidal thoughts, cutting, self harm are other red flags stating your child needs professional assistance.
If you think your teen or child is exhibiting these symptoms it is very likely that your child is depressed.
Teen and child Depression Anxiety Counseling and Therapy Peoria Arizona, Chandler Arizona, Scottsdale Arizona
Friday, February 28th, 2014
Children and teens are every bit as stressed as the adults around them per a survey in the USA that offers a snapshot of youth and their stressors.
Adolescent youth routinely say that their school-year stress levels are far higher than they think is healthy and their average reported stress exceeds that of adults, according to an annual survey published by the American Psychological Association.
Three out of ten children reported feeling depressed in a large survey taken in 2014. Teenagers stress level was reported higher than the average reported for adults.
Children are feeling the intense pressure of: schoolwork, homework, family stress, social and interpersonal stress, and a culture that focuses on performance more than passion. A culture that pushes consumption and accumulation of “things” as vital when an inanimate object truly can not bring a foundation of happiness to our lives.
Our society is seeing a huge increase in child and teen anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, poor social skills, and more. Children today are connected to 5-6 electronic devices that are distracting and impact: sleep, school performance, mood, relationships and more.
Teens need a support system as well as structure and tools to cope with stress and distractions that are painful and challenging.
Parents, counselors and other adults can help young people resist stress and learn to manage it better. They can set limits and firm boundaries for reasonable sleep and screen time and point their teens toward stress-relieving activities, such as exercise. Creating a balance is key to managing life for a teen. Helping a child manage his or her time, eat healthy foods, minimize electronics and video games, obtain adequate sleep, balance school with family and peers.
Lifeworks Az has expertise in helping each unique child with creating balance in all aspects of their life. Lifeworks Az also works with each parent to modify the family dynamics to create the best outcome for the family as well as the child. The research in counseling and psychotherapy shows that a combined integrative approach is the most effective and gets best results. Lifeworks Az works with: boys and girls ages 5 and up as well as with teens and parents to create desired change. Lifeworks Az looks at the child’s unique gifts and strengths and uses this as a foundation for change. Lifeworks AZ does not label any child because a label will become used as a reason a child can not succeed and change and we have children making huge changes daily. Labels creating a feeling of being defective or disabled, or having a deficit and Lifeworks AZ focuses on the child as half full not half empty.
Counseling Depression Stress Anxiety Child adult therapy
All healthy children at times express themselves like warriors fighting for a cause. It quickly develops into complaint’s like “I do not want to”. You can not make me. It is not fair. This sense of self respect becomes twisted into an ego based pride in response to repeated humiliations. The pride becomes a statement of your child or teens identity . The child solidifies his cognition that “I will resist at any cost anything that threatens my self respect or dignity. A child that feels victimized at home or at school begins to feel helpless and overwhelmed and healthy thoughts and feelings of self respect can be transformed into: anger, defiance, conduct disorders, not listening, and ego fueled pride. Psychotherapy with a child expert can help the child untwist distorted thoughts and help parents with tips to modify a child’s behavior. It is important to have both parents and child involved.
It might be tough to watch your beloved child morph into a teenage disrespectful, angry, back talking, defiant, non chore doing, back-talking, door-slamming, bedroom-retreating, fickle being. But it might be tougher yet to discern “normal” adolescent behavior from the signs of a materializing mood disorder. The signs are “easy to miss. It is easy for parents to believe it is a developmental stage and not a mood disorder or an emotional or behavioral disorder. It is vital to have counseling for an intervention sooner than later.
Over fifty percent of all mental illnesses arise by age 14. And about 2 million 12-to-17-year-olds, or 1 in 12 of them, experience clinical depression each year, government health officials estimated in May.
On average a child has had symptoms of mental illness for more than six months before getting help. That lag could have devastating consequences, since untreated mental illness can lead to suicide. The third-leading cause of death among 15-to-24-year-olds, suicide appears to be on the rise among youth and young adults after more than a decade of decline. Behavior can change with some work and stress at home an in the family will be reduced using an expert in counseling children.
Spotting warning signs can be tricky. Many teenagers with depression, for example, exhibit an easily overlooked blend of mood and behavioral issues rather than the symptoms typically seen in adults, researchers state.
Stress from things like pressure to perform in school or to land a good job may precipitate Psychological disorders, which they found almost half of the more than 5,000 college-age individuals studied had suffered from in the past year. The level of stress that most teens and children are under is unhealthy think we see that reflected at the one end in depression, suicide, and anxiety disorders being on the rise but also in kids who don’t have clinical diagnoses. Parents can take steps to cultivate resilience in their children, which may help fend off some problems. Counseling to address behavioral issues with a parent and teen is vital if change has not happened within 3 months of new parenting techniques.
Our challenge is to raise children and adolescent teens with a wide repertoire of positive coping strategies, so that when life gets difficult they will turn to things that will move them forward.. Children can learn stress management coping skills, mood regulation, social skills, building self esteem, anxiety reduction, healthy communication, motivation and much more to create a strong foundation for healthy change.
One way parents can do this is by setting a good example when, for instance, coping with setbacks. Another is to focus on raising a balanced person, not a high-achieving performer; if kids are made to feel as though their ultimate goal is to please parents, not themselves, they won’t learn how to identify their own strengths and preferences to fit into the perfect box
Depression child and teen sleep
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A study published in the Jan 1 issue of Sleep found that children with sleep disturbances are more severely depressed, have more depressive symptoms and have more anxiety disorders, compared with children without sleep disturbances.”
Depression
Ashley Judd revealed that she battled depression for years but hid her anguish. “I was in so much pain.”
Eighty nine percent of americans believe physical and mental health are equally important in a poll by Parade/ Research America Poll.
For more info on this article go to Parade magazine article called the true cost of depression by Lyric Wallwork Winik.
Depression(SAD) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
I read an interesting article called Getting a grip on the Winter Blues 12-5-06, by Jane E. Brody.
The article states 14 million severely affected American adults, SAD can send them into a tailspin that makes it difficult if not impossible to fulfill daily responsibilities and derive any joy from life. An additional 33 million people are less severely affected but may experience declines in energy, cheerfulness, creativity or productivity in the dark days of winter.
Antidepressants and Depression in Children
Your children are taking anti depressants that have been tested in a lab for 6-8 weeks by the FDA and your child potentially might be taking them for years, decades, a lifetime? Does this make sense? No however marketing and TV and culture tells us to do so…at what cost?
Many of these drugs have warnings that the medication can impact suicidal and homicidal thoughts and behaviors. Is there really a magic pill to replace years of behaviors and thoughts?
Many antidepressants block the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine our neurotransmitters. Many of these hese drugs impact the serotonergic system.
Drug manufacturers finance their own researchers and pay them to produce results. The manufacturers are not required to use all test results they can choose the most favorable ones if they decide too. Any profit making corporation is likely to do everything it can to maximize the possibility it’s test’s will turn out positive for their drug. After all some drugs produce over 10 Billion dollars a year for one pill.
Drug studies are a few weeks and long term side effects are not researched. Further most drugs are combined with other prescription drugs as part of a physicians treatment and this is not part of the research.
Psychiatrist and physicians are claiming that depression is a physical or biological issue,however, there is no research to support this theory. Physicians are trained to examine problems at the physiological level. If they concluded that human pain and suffering was psychological and spiritual rather than medical in origin they would have to give up trying to help others through medicine. Very few are willing to do the above mentioned. For most psychiatrists there training, professional identity, prestige, ego, and income are tied into the validity of the medical approach.
When trying to withdraw from psychiatric drugs, patients can develop serious and even life threatening emotional and physical reactions. In short it is very dangerous to stop taking these drugs without a medical doctors professional advice and clinical supervision.
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